Leslie Van Houten

[Stinky The Clown]

Gavin Newson, today, became the third California governor to deny parole to Leslie Van Houten.

She was 19 when she participated in the Manson-led murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.

By all accounts, the now-69 year old has been a model prisoner.

It is now fifty years since she was imprisoned. Half a century.

Should be freed?

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	Yes, she should be freed.
	4 (29%)
	No, she needs to stay in jail.
	10 (71%)
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[dhol82]

1. I see no point in her remaining incarceration.

[Takket]

2. 50 years? i think that's enough. let her die free

[hlthe2b]

3. About Van Houten

Leslie Van Houten was born into a middle-class family in Southern California in 1949. In late 1968, she met Charles Manson and his "Family," moved onto their ranch and became infatuated with Manson. Less than a year later, Van Houten stalked into the house of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca and participated in Rosemary's murder, stabbing her approximately 16 times. Van Houten was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. However, her sentence was automatically commuted to life in prison when California banned the death penalty.

I do believe in rehabilitation and she seems to be the model for having achieved that. I do object to those who claim she was more victim (brainwashing) than she was a perpetrator. She DID participate in the murder of Rosemary LaBianca and she was not a young teen or adolescent when it happened. That said, she surely does not appear to be a danger to others now, so I'd probably vote for her release. I surely could understand LaBianca family members feeling differently, though but I've not heard that they are fighting it. Van Houten did not take part in the Sharon Tate murder; still, Tate's sister opposes any Manson member's release who had taken part in sanctioned murders. That is the argument against her release.

[lapfog_1]

4. worth it to remember why she is in prison

Krenwinkel and Van Houten found Rosemary LaBianca in a bedroom, where she was resting, while her husband had fallen asleep while reading in the living room. Watson put pillowcases over Leno's and Rosemary LaBianca's heads, then tied an electrical cord from a lamp around each of their necks. Rosemary started struggling; meanwhile, her husband, who had been tied up in the living room, started screaming as Watson began stabbing him. Rosemary grabbed the lamp and swung it at Van Houten, who fought with her and knocked the lamp away. Van Houten then held Rosemary LaBianca down while Krenwinkel tried to stab her in the chest, but the blade bent on LaBianca's clavicle. Van Houten called for assistance from Watson, who entered the bedroom and stabbed Rosemary LaBianca several times. He then found Van Houten, handed her the knife, and told her to "do something" (since Manson had instructed Watson to make sure everyone actively participated). Van Houten stabbed Rosemary's lower back and buttocks over a dozen times. Van Houten later told Dianne Lake that she had stabbed someone who was already dead. The autopsy indicated that some of the 47 stab wounds Rosemary suffered had been inflicted post-mortem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Van_Houten

She was sentenced to death, but that was later commuted to 7 years to life.

Probably there are many people who have done worse who have been paroled... but I'm certain that there are many who won't be paroled who have done much less.

[Tarc]

5. 5 were initially given the death penalty, later commuted to life

Manson and Atkins died in prison.

One can only hope that the rest rot away and join them.